1969 Mercury Cyclone II Nascar - Mercury Missile

Dr. John Craft's Restored NASCAR Cyclone Spoiler II

Jim Smart

March 1, 2004

Photos By:
Dr. John Craft

John's Spoiler II graphics package was inspired by the Wood Brothers car campaigned by Cale Yarborough. None of the original three cars campaigned by the Wood Brothers three decades ago survived. Confident none of the three cars survived, John went with a similar theme.

The toughest aspect of this project was the hemi-head, NASCAR-spec Boss 429 engine. John wanted to recreate the same Boss 429 engine Cale Yarborough drove to the winner's circle in Atlanta in 1969. It has the correct "spider" intake manifold, which turned up first. Smoky Yunick's dyno headers scavenge the exhaust fumes. Machine work was performed by Scott Newbury at Powered By Ford in Orlando, Florida. On the dyno, John's Boss '9 produced 604 hp at 7,000 rpm, with torque bending the needles at 527 lb-ft. A race-prepped Ford Top Loader four-speed gets the job done. Four NOS Goodyear Blue Streaks meet the asphalt.

Genuine NASCAR history is hard to find. for John Craft, persistence and commitment to history paid off in this stunning Cyclone ride.